Choosing Hospice for a Better Life
My husband, Steve, still talks about his mother’s experience with hospice before she passed away—how much she and his family loved the care they provided but hated what the word hospice stood for: The end is near. There is no hope. Death is inevitable. To many people, the word “hospice”...
On these 60-degree November days where coats are optional, it’s easy to deny what’s ahead of us. My winter clothes are packed away, my kids don’t have snow pants, and my eternal search for perfect black boots has yet to begin. But, whether we like to think about it or...
Alcohol and Aging Don’t Always Mix
You don’t hear much about alcohol abuse in seniors. Not because it doesn’t exist but because most of us don’t want to talk about it publically or because we don’t see the abuse. Alcohol was a major factor in the last years of my father-in-law’s life. He was lonely, depressed,...
When Does a ‘Collection’ Become Clutter?
One of the biggest concerns we hear from family members worried about their aging loved ones is they are collecting too much stuff. “She won’t throw anything out.” “She saves things.” “She’s a hoarder.” When it comes to aging, collections can cause a lot of trouble. Sure, there’s the occasional...
Dealing With Depression in Aging Loved Ones
Memories are a funny thing: You can have a million great ones with a loved one and only one bad—how they looked the last time you saw them alive, an argument, or a bad day—and it’s that last bad memory you can’t shake. For me, my last Christmas with my...
Learn More about Dealing With Depression in Aging Loved Ones
You’re Not as Good a Listener as You Think
As I write this, I know most people won’t read it. The same person who wants practical tips on organizing medications, avoiding falls, and taking care of a loved one with Alzheimer’s will likely skip over the most practical tip of all: Be a good listener. Why? Because we all...
What to do when you’re not the caregiver
Most of what I usually write is for people taking care of aging loved ones. But what if you’re not the main person taking care of a loved one? Sometimes, not being the caregiver is just as hard. It’s a common scenario. Mom has dementia, Dad has his own health...
When I was little, I’d lock myself in my room with a million Barbies and listen to this one record of kids songs over and over and over again. When I was pregnant with my first son, I was determined to find that record and I did (on CD), which...
If you’re not someone who worries about death, I envy you. I am a death worrier. Pretty much always, I’ve worried about the end of life—either my own or someone else’s. I’ve had moments (usually in the car with a sad song playing) where I’ve thought so much about the...
Don’t Delay Getting Help For Hearing Loss
My father spent most of his teen and early adult years on a boat. First on a lobster boat, then in the engine room of a research ship stationed off New Zealand, then on a lobster boat again. Boats and the water are in his blood. Unfortunately, they’re also in...
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